Neighborhood disputes over trees and tall hedges are more frequent than it seems. Trees and plants that invade the adjacent gardenthat block the views or that generate constant shadow or affect the normal use of the garden. In these cases, those affected cannot take the law into their own hands and on many occasions they turn to the City Councils to try to find a solution, but in some cases, like that of this British neighbor, the cost of the procedure can become a greater obstacle than the problem itself.
According to information published in The Sunthe man explains that his neighbor’s coniferous hedge, which reaches five meters high, blocks sunlight from entering his garden, especially in winter. Although at first he tried to resolve the situation amicably with him, he received no response. “I don’t expect it to be cut to 2 metres, just so I can enjoy a bit of sun,” he says. His proposal was to simply shape the hedge to reduce the angle and allow more light to enter.
Faced with the neighbor’s refusal, he decided to make a formal complaint to the city council, relying on the Antisocial Behavior Act of 2003, which allows “high hedges” to be challenged when they exceed two meters and significantly affect the enjoyment of a property. However, the administration told him that he had to pay 3,800 pounds (4,400 euros) just for his claim to be processed.
The city council does not take into account the complaint if the fee is not paid
“They won’t even read the form if you don’t pay the exorbitant rate. They have put a price on anyone who complains about coverage,” the affected person denounces. For this neighbor, who left his job as a teacher after 25 years to care for his disabled daughter, the amount is unaffordable. “They have practically taken away my right to ask for help and it seems totally unfair to me,” he says.
As he explains, the hedge not only greatly exceeds the height allowed as a reference e, but also leans at an angle of about 45 degrees for five feet, increasing the shadow effect on his plot. “If they just made it square or tilted it to look straight, it would mean I could have light in my garden and she would still have her hedge,” he argues.
The City Council defends that the rate responds to a model of total cost recovery. In a statement, it points out that the amount includes the time of the technicians and possible specialized evaluations, whose costs can range between 2,300 and 3,500 euros.
Meanwhile, this owner’s garden remains “in shadow” for much of the year and each winter the situation worsens. “Every year it gets worse. The garden is left in shadow and everything grows slowly,” he laments.